Nantucket’s core historic district was a ghost town Friday morning as snow continued to blow through the streets, piling up more than a foot high in front of some closed storefront doors, while disappointed people ventured to Main Street with sleds only to find the road plowed and open to traffic.

Flooding began around noon, and Easy, Broad, Easton and Washington streets were all under several inches of water.

Shortly before 11 a.m., water started splashing over the bulkhead on Easy Street, sending a deluge spilling into the street. Around noon – one hour before high tide – water started pouring down Broad and Easy streets, up to the doors of many businesses. Workers were placing sand bags in front of Nantucket Pasty Company on Broad Street, and water was up above the tires of some vehicles left in the flooded areas.

At the peak of high tide, slushy water was running down South Beach Street in front of Lola 41 like lava and water was bubbling over storm drains. Easton Street was also blocked off to traffic past the White Elephant Hotel.

Out in Sconset, waves were pounding the beach at high tide around 1:30 p.m. On Baxter Road, the geotube revetment structure was standing up to the storm, repelling sets of large waves, and many onlookers were watching from the bluff.

The roads were still slick this afternoon, and around 3 p.m. a rollover was reported on Surfside Road by Gladlands Avenue. Emergency-response radio traffic was reporting that all four occupants were out of the vehicle, and none required transportation to the hospital. Emergency personnel were still on-scene around 3:30 p.m. waiting for the car to be righted.

Around the same time, a report of smoke was called in from 1 Fairgrounds Road. It was determined shortly thereafter that it was an oil-burner issue, and the scene was cleared at 3:30 p.m., according to radio traffic.

Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger

Downtown was largely deserted for most of the day Friday, as blowing snow and flooding kepts people off the streets and sidewalks.

Only a small handful of businesses were open downtown at 10 a.m. Friday, including local favorite Stubby’s. Manager Hera Maharjan said that although he’d like to be sitting at home, he decided to open to help the local people who had to brave the weather.

“It’s just for the people who come in and we try to serve those people. I know there are a few people w ho are out there looking for food and like always we try to stay strong for the people,” Maharjan said.

But the snow made it difficult for Maharjan to get his car out of the driveway, so he waited to open until 7 a.m. until the roads had become more passable, he said. And the restaurant was not as busy as usual. The sales Stubby’s would have normally made in half an hour took three hours Friday morning, he said.

Most Main Street businesses were still closed at 11 a.m. as well. The Hub’s normally inviting open doors were closed. But Nantucket Pharmacy was open, as was Hingham Savings and a couple insurance agencies.

Lana Bresette was using her new sled to slide down the sidewalk in front of Hingham Savings, where her mother Leslie works.

In front of Starlight Theatre and Café, Mark Watson, who runs the business with his family, said he would be open for the day beginning at 11:30 a.m. He told his staff to take their time getting to work, and said he would be showing movies this afternoon, although he couldn’t change the movie times on the board because it was frozen shut.

The Dreamland Theater was also showing its full schedule of movies this afternoon and evening.

“The door was hard to get open this morning,” he said. “I don’t think there will be too many people walking around today.”

The Bean coffee shop on Centre Street was open, although less busy than normal. Island resident Dave Brown was one of three patrons sitting in The Bean at 10:30 a.m., and said he was enjoying his day of “goofing off.”

“ I just had to get out of the house, break the monotony. I live by the airport, it was easy driving, I have four-wheel drive. Now I’m going to go visit a friend across the street, she’s house-bound,” Brown said.

But other island residents who braved the strong winds and blowing snow were not so pleased upon their arrival downtown. Nantucket resident Jo Perkins showed up with her snow gear on, orange sled in hand, ready to sled down Main Street, which was supposed to be closed to vehicles and open to sledding until 2 p.m., according to a Twitter message sent out by town manager Libby Gibson.

Perkins was disappointed when she saw the road freshly plowed and open to vehicle traffic. She made an attempt at sledding down Orange Street onto Main Street but quickly gave up, she said.

“I thought I may not get another time in my lifetime for it,” she said laughing. “I expected to not even be able to park (on Main Street) and see families everywhere,” Perkins said.

Perkins said other families had showed up, too, but turned back when they saw the street open. She also called the Nantucket Police Department, who thought the road should have been open to sledding.

Outside of town, snowdrifts filled the entrance to Wicked Island Bakery, which is closed until Jan. 16. The roads into town were slick and blustery winds kicked up some snow, resulting in poor visibility.

Department of Public Works director Kara Buzanoski said her crews were out all night, and white-out conditions persisted overnight. She added that the roads, and especially the intersections, have needed to be plowed repeatedly due to blowing and drifting snow.

“Once the snow stops, we will most likely still be plowing back the drifting snow as long as the wind keeps blowing,” she wrote in an e-mail. “The weather predicts it won’t go below 20mph until this evening, so it will be a long day.”

Photo by Karen Elverson

Easton Street was flooded in the vicinity of the White Elephant Hotel during Friday's high tide.

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